This set of tables show careers of the top ten minor league pitchers from the class of 2013 who had MLB success this year. WAA is not a stat suited for ranking players who played less than a full season. Since WAA measures wins a player brings his team, not playing a full season means he has less chances at providing wins. It is incorrect to extrapolate WAA to a full season. Past events don’t necessarily predict future events. A WAA can turn south quickly and it may be just as likely a WAA will go down as it is to go up. The only thing you can take from a positive WAA is that that pitcher played above average — which is great for a minor league player graduating from the minors. It means he might be able to survive and perhaps be more than just an average MLB player. Minor league pitchers in this class can be ranked together however because they’re all in the same boat — they all played a partial year in the majors.
This list was derived by searching through the 2013 rosters of AAA, AA, and A+ and checking them against the 2013 MLB roster. These were then sorted by MLB WAA only allowing for pitchers with > 50 MLB innings pitched to be included. Less than 50 innings pitched introduces statistical anomalies. Pitchers can have lucky streaks with few innings pitched posting higher than normal WAAs which wouldn’t properly reflect that player’s value. A couple of pitchers with very low ERAs were not included but they should show up on the list for next year.
These pitchers represent the top ten WAA out of 180 players who spent significant playing time in the minors this year. Many of the 180 have been in and out of MLB several times. This and other lists to come will only show first time “graduating” minor league players. The next post will list the 2013 Class of batters. Although batters and pitchers can be valued together through WAA I thought it would be easier to view them separately for this analysis.
After the Class of 2013 I’ll introduce the Class of 2012 and 2011. Most of the best of the 2012 class should have played an entire 2013 season in MLB which will give them a proper WAA valuation. The 2011 should have played two full seasons but we’ll be sorting only on this year, 2013.
Tanner Roark
| Year | WAA | BA/IP | OBP/ERA | PA/G | RBI/W | R/L | Name_Tm | BAT/PITCH |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 0.7 | 30.0 | 3.60 | 12 | 1 | 3 | Tanner_Roark_Bakersfield_Blaze_TEX_cal | PITCH |
| 2009 | 3.6 | 86.2 | 2.70 | 29 | 10 | 0 | Tanner_Roark_Bakersfield_Blaze_TEX_cal | PITCH |
| 2009 | -0.2 | 17.2 | 4.58 | 5 | 1 | 1 | Tanner_Roark_Frisco_RoughRiders_TEX_tex | PITCH |
| 2010 | 1.5 | 36.0 | 2.50 | 6 | 1 | 1 | Tanner_Roark_Harrisburg_Senators_WAS_east | PITCH |
| 2010 | -0.7 | 105.0 | 4.20 | 22 | 10 | 5 | Tanner_Roark_Frisco_RoughRiders_TEX_tex | PITCH |
| 2011 | -1.8 | 117.0 | 4.69 | 21 | 9 | 9 | Tanner_Roark_Harrisburg_Senators_WAS_east | PITCH |
| 2012 | -1.5 | 147.2 | 4.39 | 28 | 6 | 17 | Tanner_Roark_Syracuse_Chiefs_WAS_int | PITCH |
| 2013 | 1.9 | 105.2 | 3.15 | 33 | 9 | 3 | Tanner_Roark_Syracuse_Chiefs_WAS_int | PITCH |
| 2013 | 3.1 | 53.7 | 1.51 | 14 | 7 | 1 | Tanner_Roark_WAS | PITCH |
Tyler Thornburg
| Year | WAA | BA/IP | OBP/ERA | PA/G | RBI/W | R/L | Name_Tm | BAT/PITCH |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 0.7 | 68.0 | 3.57 | 12 | 3 | 6 | Tyler_Thornburg_Brevard_County_Manatees_MIL_fla | PITCH |
| 2012 | 1.0 | 37.2 | 3.58 | 8 | 2 | 3 | Tyler_Thornburg_Nashville_Sounds_MIL_pcl | PITCH |
| 2012 | 1.6 | 75.0 | 3.00 | 13 | 8 | 1 | Tyler_Thornburg_Huntsville_Stars_MIL_sl | PITCH |
| 2012 | -0.3 | 22.0 | 4.50 | 8 | 0 | 0 | Tyler_Thornburg_MIL | PITCH |
| 2013 | -2.4 | 74.2 | 5.79 | 15 | 0 | 9 | Tyler_Thornburg_Nashville_Sounds_MIL_pcl | PITCH |
| 2013 | 3.1 | 66.7 | 2.03 | 18 | 3 | 1 | Tyler_Thornburg_MIL | PITCH |
Jarred Cosart
| Year | WAA | BA/IP | OBP/ERA | PA/G | RBI/W | R/L | Name_Tm | BAT/PITCH |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | -0.1 | 108.0 | 3.92 | 20 | 9 | 8 | Jarred_Cosart_Clearwater_Threshers_PHI_fla | PITCH |
| 2011 | -0.3 | 36.1 | 4.71 | 7 | 1 | 2 | Jarred_Cosart_Corpus_Christi_Hooks_HOU_tex | PITCH |
| 2012 | 1.4 | 27.2 | 2.60 | 6 | 1 | 2 | Jarred_Cosart_Oklahoma_City_RedHawks_HOU_pcl | PITCH |
| 2012 | 1.0 | 87.0 | 3.52 | 15 | 5 | 5 | Jarred_Cosart_Corpus_Christi_Hooks_HOU_tex | PITCH |
| 2013 | 2.7 | 93.0 | 3.29 | 18 | 7 | 4 | Jarred_Cosart_Oklahoma_City_RedHawks_HOU_pcl | PITCH |
| 2013 | 2.9 | 60.0 | 1.95 | 10 | 1 | 1 | Jarred_Cosart_HOU | PITCH |
Brett Oberholtzer
| Year | WAA | BA/IP | OBP/ERA | PA/G | RBI/W | R/L | Name_Tm | BAT/PITCH |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | -1.0 | 112.2 | 4.15 | 22 | 6 | 6 | Brett_Oberholtzer_Myrtle_Beach_Pelicans_ATL_car | PITCH |
| 2011 | 1.1 | 127.2 | 3.74 | 21 | 9 | 9 | Brett_Oberholtzer_Mississippi_Braves_ATL_sl | PITCH |
| 2011 | -0.6 | 27.1 | 5.27 | 6 | 2 | 3 | Brett_Oberholtzer_Corpus_Christi_Hooks_HOU_tex | PITCH |
| 2012 | 0.4 | 89.2 | 4.52 | 15 | 5 | 7 | Brett_Oberholtzer_Oklahoma_City_RedHawks_HOU_pcl | PITCH |
| 2012 | -0.4 | 77.0 | 4.21 | 13 | 5 | 3 | Brett_Oberholtzer_Corpus_Christi_Hooks_HOU_tex | PITCH |
| 2013 | 0.2 | 80.1 | 4.37 | 16 | 6 | 6 | Brett_Oberholtzer_Oklahoma_City_RedHawks_HOU_pcl | PITCH |
| 2013 | 2.0 | 71.7 | 2.76 | 13 | 4 | 5 | Brett_Oberholtzer_HOU | PITCH |
Sonny Gray
| Year | WAA | BA/IP | OBP/ERA | PA/G | RBI/W | R/L | Name_Tm | BAT/PITCH |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 1.9 | 20.0 | 0.45 | 5 | 1 | 0 | Sonny_Gray_Midland_RockHounds_OAK_tex | PITCH |
| 2012 | -0.4 | 4.0 | 9.00 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Sonny_Gray_Sacramento_River_Cats_OAK_pcl | PITCH |
| 2012 | -0.2 | 148.0 | 4.14 | 26 | 6 | 9 | Sonny_Gray_Midland_RockHounds_OAK_tex | PITCH |
| 2013 | 2.9 | 118.1 | 3.42 | 20 | 10 | 7 | Sonny_Gray_Sacramento_River_Cats_OAK_pcl | PITCH |
| 2013 | 1.9 | 64.0 | 2.67 | 12 | 5 | 3 | Sonny_Gray_OAK | PITCH |
Gerrit Cole
| Year | WAA | BA/IP | OBP/ERA | PA/G | RBI/W | R/L | Name_Tm | BAT/PITCH |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 1.6 | 59.0 | 2.90 | 12 | 3 | 6 | Gerrit_Cole_Altoona_Curve_PIT_east | PITCH |
| 2012 | 2.0 | 67.0 | 2.55 | 13 | 5 | 1 | Gerrit_Cole_Bradenton_Marauders_PIT_fla | PITCH |
| 2012 | -0.1 | 6.0 | 4.50 | 1 | 1 | 0 | Gerrit_Cole_Indianapolis_Indians_PIT_int | PITCH |
| 2013 | 1.4 | 68.0 | 2.91 | 12 | 5 | 3 | Gerrit_Cole_Indianapolis_Indians_PIT_int | PITCH |
| 2013 | 1.7 | 117.3 | 3.22 | 19 | 10 | 7 | Gerrit_Cole_PIT | PITCH |
Michael Wacha
| Year | WAA | BA/IP | OBP/ERA | PA/G | RBI/W | R/L | Name_Tm | BAT/PITCH |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 0.7 | 8.0 | 0.00 | 4 | 0 | 0 | Michael_Wacha_Palm_Beach_Cardinals_SLN_fla | PITCH |
| 2012 | 0.6 | 8.0 | 1.12 | 4 | 0 | 0 | Michael_Wacha_Springfield_Cardinals_SLN_tex | PITCH |
| 2013 | 3.7 | 85.0 | 2.65 | 15 | 5 | 3 | Michael_Wacha_Memphis_Redbirds_SLN_pcl | PITCH |
| 2013 | 1.7 | 64.7 | 2.78 | 15 | 4 | 1 | Michael_Wacha_SLN | PITCH |
Alex Wood
| Year | WAA | BA/IP | OBP/ERA | PA/G | RBI/W | R/L | Name_Tm | BAT/PITCH |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 0.3 | 5.0 | 1.80 | 1 | 1 | 0 | Alex_Wood_Gwinnett_Braves_ATL_int | PITCH |
| 2013 | 3.1 | 57.0 | 1.26 | 10 | 4 | 2 | Alex_Wood_Mississippi_Braves_ATL_sl | PITCH |
| 2013 | 1.4 | 77.7 | 3.13 | 31 | 3 | 3 | Alex_Wood_ATL | PITCH |
Danny Salazar
| Year | WAA | BA/IP | OBP/ERA | PA/G | RBI/W | R/L | Name_Tm | BAT/PITCH |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 1.7 | 53.2 | 2.68 | 16 | 1 | 2 | Danny_Salazar_Carolina_Mudcats_CLE_car | PITCH |
| 2012 | 1.7 | 34.0 | 1.85 | 6 | 4 | 0 | Danny_Salazar_Akron_Aeros_CLE_east | PITCH |
| 2013 | 1.0 | 33.2 | 2.67 | 7 | 2 | 3 | Danny_Salazar_Akron_Aeros_CLE_east | PITCH |
| 2013 | 1.5 | 59.1 | 2.73 | 14 | 4 | 2 | Danny_Salazar_Columbus_Clippers_CLE_int | PITCH |
| 2013 | 1.0 | 52.0 | 3.12 | 10 | 2 | 3 | Danny_Salazar_CLE | PITCH |
Zack Wheeler
| Year | WAA | BA/IP | OBP/ERA | PA/G | RBI/W | R/L | Name_Tm | BAT/PITCH |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 1.8 | 88.0 | 3.99 | 16 | 7 | 5 | Zack_Wheeler_San_Jose_Giants_SFN_cal | PITCH |
| 2011 | 1.3 | 27.0 | 2.00 | 6 | 2 | 2 | Zack_Wheeler_St._Lucie_Mets_NYN_fla | PITCH |
| 2012 | 1.9 | 116.0 | 3.26 | 19 | 10 | 6 | Zack_Wheeler_Binghamton_Mets_NYN_east | PITCH |
| 2012 | 0.5 | 33.0 | 3.27 | 6 | 2 | 2 | Zack_Wheeler_Buffalo_Bisons_NYN_int | PITCH |
| 2013 | 0.8 | 68.2 | 3.93 | 13 | 4 | 2 | Zack_Wheeler_Las_Vegas_51s_NYN_pcl | PITCH |
| 2013 | 0.9 | 100.0 | 3.42 | 17 | 7 | 5 | Zack_Wheeler_NYN | PITCH |
The next post will show Class of 2013 minor league batters.